Mini North Indian Thaali - No Onion No Garlic (Pitru Paksh Special)

 It is that time off the year ,when almost every household in India observes a 15 day Vegetarian meal only  food practice . Yes,it is Pitru Paksha ,also known as Mahalaya Paksha . 

These fifteen days starting from Poornima /Pournami (Full Moon Day) to Amavasya / Amavasai (New Moon day) people abstain from eating non veg , alcohol and also most people avoid the usage of Onion,garlic as part of their  cooking. 

Pithru Paksh / Shraadh Paksh is one fortnight where we pay obeisance to the departed souls ..it is believed that during this period ,our ancestors visit our homes to bless us and partake the food offered to them as part of the ritual.

If you ever thought, that cooking without Onion and Garlic will not make a tasty meal,then you are mistaken my dear friends. 

Here,I have a curated a simple Thaali with lipsmacking delicacies made totally without Onion and Garlic. Click the links below to get a detailed recipe of every item on the Thaali . You can include Fulkas or Puris if you want it to be a little more elaborate. 

Menu on the frame ,
Jeera Rice 

Matar Paneer 

Boondi Raita 

Masala Chaas 

Aadi Amavasai (Amavasya) Special post

Thai Amavasai , Aadi Amavasai and Mahalaya Amavasai  are very significant for Tamil people . The ancestors ,our pithrus are worshipped on Amavasai and the family seeks the blessings of our forefathers for the family's wellbeing. 

Aadi Amavasai is observed in the Tamil month of Aadi / Aashada / Karka (cancer) between July 15th and August 17th. 

Aadi Amavasai is the first amavasai that falls after the start of Dakshinayanam . Dakshinayanam is when the sun moves to the south of Equator .  In western India,  it is known as Ghatari Amavasya .

Like every other Amavasai,  the pithrus are worshipped and the whole family seeks their blessing . It is believed that those who observe Aadi Amavasai their families are blessed with good luck,peace and prosperity by their ancestors.  Tamil Brahmins offer tharpanam around mid morning and offer Dakshina to the Vadhyar / priest . Tharpanam is offered only by the sons who have no father . 

According to Garuda Puranam, offering black til (sesame seeds) and water to forefathers on this day will please them and they shall bless  you with longevity, success, progeny and relief from debts.

My prasadam platter above  was prepared for last year's (2023) Aadi Amavasai .In 2024 ,Aadi Amavsai is on Aug 4th 2024 . 

As like every other special occasion, even Aadi Amavasai is celebrated with an elaborate meal spread offered to our pithrus . Each family has their own tradition of preparing the food . In a typical Tamil brahmin home ,we make Vadai and Payasam along with Raw Banana (vazhakkai) curry , pepper based kuzhambu , jeera pepper rasam ,cucumber pachadi ,boiled moong dhall .

Along with this you can also prepare Arbi fry (seppankizhangu fry) ,Suyyam / Sugiyan ,Inji Thogayal etc etc .

In Maharashtra and  Gujarat ,people feast and rejoice on Ghatari amavasya as Shravan Mahina commences on the day after Amavasya and people observe Vrat/fasting and refrain from eating non veg during Chatur Maas . 

This year in 2024 it is celebration galore continously . 

Aug 2 - Aadi Vellikizhamai - auspicious Friday in the month of Aashada. How to offer maav vilakku on Aadi Vellikizhamai? 

Aug 3 - Aadi Pathinettam Perukku - Thanks giving and gratitude to River Kaveri . You may read my post on Significance of Aadi Perukku on my blog.

Aug 4 - Aadi Amavasai. 

Aug 7 - Thiru Aadi Pooram ( birth of Sri Aandal) 

Click on the recipe Names below for a complete recipe 

• Payatham Paruppu Payasam / Moong dhall kheer 
• Ulundhu Vadai / Medhu Vadai 
• Jeera Milagu Rasam  (skip the tomato while making for Amavasai)
• Vazhakkai Podimaas / Raw Banana curry 
• Vellarikaai Pachadi/ Cucumber Raita
• Milagu Kuzhambu 
• Rice + Ghee 
• Boiled Moong Dhall with mustard jeera tempering.

Incase you don't have time to prepare such an elaborate menu for Amavasai,  you can look up my post on Basic Amavasai Thaligai and cook up and simple, yet authentic  offering for Amavasai.

To know about the Significance of Mahalaya Amavasai look up my post on the same .

Jeera Rice / Jeera Pulao - North Indian Saatvik Lunch

 Jeera Rice is prepared very often in my place and it is one of our family favorites when we want to enjoy some light meal but packed with flavors . Jeera Rice is an inseparable part of any festive North Indian fare . If the spread is heavy then jeera Rice or Matar (Peas) pulao are perfect choice to balance the meal .

Jeera Rice pairs well with Dal Tadka, Rajma ,Chole and even Matar Paneer and can be enjoyed as a solo meal by itself. 

So common that it is in my home,I hardly realised that it has not been blogged yet . I was surprised myself and then decided to go ahead and blog it  today itself without any further delay. 

Jeera Rice or jeera pulao ,whatever you may call, is very easy and simple to make.Absolutely doesn't require any fancy ingredients nor is the process complicated.  Jira Rice is one of the earliest recipes  I learnt while experimenting in the kitchen .

Jeera Rice is a perfect recipe for beginners ,bachelors or hostel staying kids where they can enjoy some healthy meal at their own comfort. If you have no time to make a gravy ,one can enjoy it with salted chilled dahi/yogurt or even a simple raita .

Basmati rice works best for any pulao and so is the case with Jeera pulao too,but incase you don't have it or dislike the aroma of Basmati we can easily use sona masuri or kolam variety of rice too . Ensure that you use the rice:water ratio properly to get the perfectly fluffed up and grainy Jeera Rice.

This morning, I decided I should make some special meal as we were all bored eating the usual South Indian fare.  Quickly decided to prepare a simple ,Saatvik (no Onion No garlic) North Indian Thali . Deciding the menu didn't need much brainstorming as I had some boiled chole in my fridge which got made as Chole Masala and some soaked up Sabudana/ Jawwarsi from Breakfast helped me make the delicious Sabudana Kheer /Jawwarsi Payasam which took care of the dessert .

Click the individual menu names below for the detailed recipe .

Sabudana Kheer 

Chole /Channa Masala 

Jeera Aloo 

Wheat Puris 

Jeera Rice  (recipe in the post below)

Salted Dahi  - Chilled yogurt flavored with salt,chilli powder  and cumin powder

Masala Chaas 

Fryums /Papads

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - 15 mins

Complexity - simple

Serves - 2 to 3

Ingredients 

1.5 cups basmati rice 
3 cups water 
2 green chillies chopped finely 
2 tsp jeera /cumin
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
2 cloves 
3 tbsp ghee (use oil for Vegan) 
Salt as needed

Method

• Wash the rice well and drain it in a colander for 10 mins
• Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker ,splutter jeera when the ghee is hot,followed by the cloves ,green chillies, cardamom and bay leaf .
• Add the rice and quickly roast it on low flame until you get a nice aroma.
• Add the water , required amount of salt and pressure cook on medium flame for 2 whistles. 
• Let the pressure release naturally, slowly open the lid and fluff the rice lightly without breaking it.
• Garnish it with fresh corriander and serve hot. 

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Poori Bhaji Aamras - Summer Seasonal special

 Poori Aamras and Aloo Bhaji is almost everyone's favorite in Maharashtra and Gujarat. There will hardly be anyone who wouldn't like this combo.  During the mango season, this made in heaven match features in my home quite a few times  but surprisingly it never made to the blog .

My dad and me love this combo a lot and it really surprises my husband as to how we enjoy puris with aamras . He will always say enjoy puris with Bhaaji and relish the aamras separately.  To each one their taste..but all said and done puri aamras is a delectable match . 

The recipe for Aamras and Puri is already there on the blog while that off this simple yet tasty Aloo Bhaaji or Sabji will be shared today with you all . Every household has an heirloom recipe for making the aloo sabji depending on the family's liking . I am going to share a very very easy recipe which has been our favorite always. Preethi my blogger friend has a delicious recipe of Adraki Aloo which will also pair well these puris . The aamras has a little milk added while the aloo sabji is purely vegan . If you want to make the entire combo vegan friendly,you can skip the milk while preparing the aam ras .

This combo is so popular  and a hearthrob that people swarm like bees at restaurants to enjoy. Some popular restaurants in Bombay have carved a niche for serving this delectable mini thali during the Mango Season and have been featured in various food magazines and shows for their superior quality and popularity. 

Recipes for Poori & Aamras click below 

Fluffy and soft puris 

Aamras 

Preparation Time - 20 mins 
Cooking Time - 10 mins
Complexity - simple
Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients 

4 medium sized boiled potatoes 
2 small green chillies chopped
1/2 inch ginger finely chopped 
1 tsp mustard 
1/4 tsp udad dhall (optional)
1 tbsp oil
Pinch of turmeric 

1/4  tsp red chilli powder
Pinch of asafoetida 
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt as needed
Few curry leaves 
Finely chopped corriander 

Method 

• Peel the skin of the potatoes and roughly crumble them.
• Heat oil in a thick pan ,crackle the mustard seeds followed by udad dhall until the dal turns golden brown.
• Fry the green chillies,  ginger , curry leaves and asafoetida. 
• Add the crumbled potatoes, corriander leaves, turmeric ,red chilli powder ,salt and mix it well .
• Sprinkle some water and cook covered for 2 to 3 mins till all the flavors blend well . Turn off the stove ,add the sugar,chopped corriander and mix it gently .
• Serve hot with hot hot puris and Aamras .
• You can also serve some thick coconut chutney also as an accompaniment. 

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South Indian Lunch - Thali #5

 A wholesome and piping hot lunch is always a pure bliss on a weekend day. 

Today's menu is a family favorite and no one will fuss over any item and I also don't have to think of different options to please everyone at home .

I got some really fresh and tender veggies delivered through Deep Rooted Co , an online app and I was excited and tempted to use all the veggies especially the Spinach which was just too good . I am very happy to get such tasty vegetables and the best part was the Spinach was so clean and I dint have to spend a lot of time cleaning the roots and removing weeds. This is not a sponsored post ,but if you are looking for farms fresh vegetables and fruits to be delivered at door step,pls do try this app.

So the lunch menu was planned in  the best possible way to include all our family favorite vegetables

Peerthangai Paruppu | Ridge gourd lentil curry 

Kos Pattani Poriyal | Cabbage Peas Stir fry

Keerai Masiyal / Blanched & mashed Spinach 

Tomato Rasam  served with  piping hot rice and  usual accompaniment of curd or buttermilk.

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Simple North Indian Thali

 Some days I am in the mood for an elaborate cooking while at times I hardly feel like stepping into the kitchen to cook up a meal.  Today was one such day when I felt like cooking something different from the usual South Indian menu .

After continuous rainfall for the last few days and a severe dip in mercury levels ,we saw a little sun shine this morning and I set my mood for some elaborate cooking to pep up the mood and prepared this quick and delicious North Indian style menu which can be easily put together in about an hour .  This combination of menu comes very handy when you have to prepare lunch or dinner in short notice for guests .

The entire platter is Saatvik meaning sans Onion & Garlic and hence doubles up even as a Prasad/ Bhog Thaali as well. 

On the Platter ,

Sheera / Sooji Halwa 

Aloo Tamatar Sabji / Potato Tomato Curry

Masala Matar Pulao  / Spiced Peas Pulao 

Hot Fulkas 

Masala Chaas  (video post)

Roasted Papad

To further elaborate this thaali, you can also make Boondi Raita , Moong Bhajjiya , Sweet Corn Salad .

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Varan Bhaat | वरण भात - Maharashtrian Meal

Varan Bhaat is a common and staple nutritious meal in most homes in Maharashtra.  This simple and traditional meal holds a very important place even during festive occasions like Ganesh Chaturthi,  Gudi Padwa , Sankrant and also wedding feast.  

 Varan Bhaat is a typical and soulful food which can be easily prepared without any fancy ingredients but from basic pantry supply . 

Varan in Marathi means Lentil curry and Bhaat is Rice ,so loosely it translates to Lentil curry Rice .  The Varan is prepared separately with very mild spices and served alongside steamed rice and a dollop of ghee . Varan bhaat is a perfect meal  for kids or elderly people as there is any spice added . 

Traditionally Thuvar Dhall viz Split Pigeon peas is used for preparing the varan but these days people use other lentils like Moong dhall,masoor dhall etc . I prefer to stick to the traditional way of making by using Arhar Dhall / Thuvar dal.

Varan(Lentil curry) ,Bhaath(Rice),Thoop(Ghee) ,Batata Bhaaji (Potato curry) and Loncha (pickle) is a preferred combo on a regular day . Today for lunch I prepared this wholesome meal and relished it with some fryums . I wanted to fry some puris as well but with some last min hurdle ,I took a shorter route and skipped making puris .

When being served on festive occasions, the meal spread is very elaborate with a few extra items being added to the menu. (Some of the typical menu items are given below) 

Puri
Masale Bhaat 
Shrikhand
Sabudana Vada 
Kothimbir Wadi
Kakdi Koshimbir 
Kheer 
Basundi
Ukidiche Modak (Ganesh Chaturthi spl) 

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - 20 mins

Complexity - Simple 

Serves - 3 to 4 

Ingredients 

1 cup thuvar dhall /Arhar dal/ thuvaram paruppu

3 cups water 

1 small green chilli

Fresh curry leaves 

1 tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp cumin seeds 

Turmeric powder

Salt as needed

Fresh corriander 

Pinch of asafoetida 

Method

• Wash the thuvr dhall 3 to 4 times . Add 3 cups of water ,turmeric powder and finely chopped green chilli ,salt and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles on medium flame .
• Let the pressure release and then mash the cooked dhall with a whisk until it is mushy.
• Prepare the tempering by heating the ghee in a pan and then splutter the jeera ,curry leaves and asafoetida.  Pour it over the cooked dhall. Mix and close the lid for 10 min for the flavors to infuse . Garnish with fresh corriander. 
• Serve hot with rice ,ghee and pickle .

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Bonda Morkuzhambu | Festive lunch platter - Ayudha Pooja Special Thali #5

 Mor kuzhambu is a typical South Indian curry prepared using yogurt and coconut paste and vegetables like pumpkin,  ladies finger, chayote /chou chou.  Recipes for Poosnikaai (Ash gourd) Morkuzhambu and Vendakkai (Ladies finger) Mor Kuzhambu is already there on the blog .

Bonda Morkuzhambu  is a Tambrahm speciality and is part of wedding feast.  Bondas are small vadas made using udad dhall and then dunked into the freshly prepared Morkuzhambu. 

Bonda Morkuzhambu can be called as a close cousin of Kadhi Pakora which is a North Indian delicacy.  

Bonda Mor kozhambu comes in very handy when we are out of veggies or want a break from the usual menu .Normally at my home,we make Bonda Morkuzhambu on festive occasions or when we are having guests over for lunch or dinner . 

I learnt this bonda mor kuzhambu recipe from my amma who learnt it from my paternal grandmom  ..my dad keeps telling me that my grandmom made one of the best bonda Morkuzhambu, sadly I never got an opportunity to taste this delicacy from my Patti's kitchen.  So for me,this is one of the many heirloom recipes I cherish and treasure. 

I make the vada batter a little spicy so that when it is dunked in the yogurt gravy ,it absorbs all the flavors well and tastes good when we take a bite . 

Today being, Ayudha Pooja or Saraswathi Pooja ,I have prepared Bonda Morkuzhambu as part of my festival menu .  For lunch we are going to feast on

Bonda Morkuzhambu  (scroll down for recipe) 

Rasam vadai 

Kondakadalai Sundal 

Plain Vadas

Arisi Kadala Paruppu Payasam 

Rice + Ghee 

Preparation Time - 3 hrs
Cooking Time - 30 mins
Complexity - Medium 
Serves - 2 to 3 

Ingredients 

250ml thick yogurt 

100 ml water 
2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard 
1/2 tsp methi /fenugreek seeds
2 to 3 dry red chillies 
fresh curry leaves 
pinch of turmeric 
Pinch of asafoetida 
salt

To grind

 6 to 7 tbsp  fresh grated coconut 
1/2 tsp jeera/cumin 
3 to 4 green chillies 
1 tsp channa dhall /bengal gram
2 tsp dhaniya /corriander seeds
Small piece ginger 

For the Vadas / Bondas 

1/2 cup udad dhall 

2 green chillies 

Few curry leaves 

Fresh corriander 

Salt as needed 

Method 

To make the bondas 

• Wash and soak the udad dhall in water for 3 hrs .
• Drain the water and add it to the blender and using very little water grind into a smooth paste .
• Transfer it to a mixing bowl and add salt ,chopped green chillies,  curry leaves and fresh corriander. 
• Whisk it well using a spoon or whisk for atleast 10 mins . This will make the batter fluffy and aerated. 
• Heat oil and pinch out small roundels of this vada batter and fry on medium flame until it is crisp and golden brown. 

Preparation of Mor Kozhambu

• Soak all the ingredients under the "to grind" section in water for 10 to 15 mins and grind into a fine paste.
• Whisk the yogurt until is creamy and smooth. 
• Add in the ground spice paste to the whisked yogurt along with salt and turmeric powder and mix well with water mentioned . Donot add too much water , else the mor kuzhambu will be runny and will split on boiling.  
• Cook on medium flame until the mixture starts frothing up . 
• Remember to turn it off at this stage..continuing to cook further will end up in splitting the yogurt..we donot want that to happen. 
• Prepare a tempering of mustard seeds , methi  Curry leaves and dry chillies in hot oil and pour it over the mor kuzhambu.  You can use coconut oil for tempering for added taste and flavor. 

Assembling Bonda Morkuzhambu 

• Add the fried bondas to the Mor Kozhambu and mix well .
• Let it rest for 10 15 mins before serving so that the bondas absorb all the flavors of the mor kuzhambu nicely .
• Make sure the mor kozhambu is hot while you add the bondas else they won't turn soft and spongy.  
• Both bondas and the mor Morkuzhambu have to be freshly made. 

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South Indian Lunch (Saatvik) - Thali #4

 Weekends are leisure time when the whole family gets to have a peaceful sit down meal over some chit chat and banter.  It had been a long time since I prepared and served an elaborate meal for my family.

This morning too as always I dint have this thali planned on my cards ,but as I went about cooking it just happened and by the time I finished cooking, I was elated with the outcome. 

The items on the thaali are very simple to make and did not need any special ingredients.  All the veggies needed were sitting right in my vegetable basket and so my job became a lot simpler.   

Every recipe on the thali is already on my blog,so all you have to do is click on the individual names below on the menu and viola,you shall be redirected to the detailed recipe post . 

Carrot Kosambri 

Aloo Capsicum Sambar 

Chou Chou Carrot Curry 

Tomato Rasam 

Carrot Payasam 

South Indian Lunch - Thali #3

 Festival time or special occasions at home call for a delicious spread keeping in mind every  family member's liking and prepared with love and utmost affection. 

Today's thali is very close to my heart with all of my mom's favorite which she would always relish and as a tribute to her I prepared this small thali on her birthday.

I wanted to make this my 300th post as a gratitude post to my mom who has been a friend , philosopher and guide as long as she was there and continues to be my guiding angel every minute. Coincidentally, that very day we bloggers at FMBH were discussing about the 264th week's monday theme and we finalized on Thali theme which was proposed by Sasmita of First timer cook . 

 Hence, my 300th post was a delicious Choco Orange Cake and this delectable thali got scheduled for 264th week - "Time for Thali" . If you love chocolate flavor like me , you should check out Sas' piped chocolate cookies which are a melt in mouth treat for all chocolate lovers

It took me a total of 2.5 hours to prepare this thali from scratch . I started preparing around 9.30am. I have detailed how I went about with the pre preparations to make cooking stress free. 

The items on thali starting with the small cups on plate 

1. Thovve / Dhall /Paruppu 
2. Podi Pota Sambar
3. Aviyal
4. Tomato rasam
5. Vellarikai kosambri / Cucumber salad
6. Nendran chips / Kerala Banana chips
7. Plain Rice with ghee 
8. Semia Payasam /vermicelli pudding/ sevayyan kheer
9. Curd / Dahi / Yogurt 

Recipe for thovve and podi pota sambar is detailed below while recipes for all other items are linked and you can click on individual item names to get the detailed recipe.

 Pre Preparations 

• Chopping of vegetables for the Avial, salad/kosambri  and Sambar . 
• Grating the coconut for preparing the masala for Avial and salad . I prefer to grate fresh coconut for aviyal , incase you are using frozen grated coconut, thaw the required quantity atleast 30min prior to cooking. 
• Pressure cooking the thuvar dhall with haldi for sambar and thovve.
• Blanching the tomatoes for rasam
• Soaking tamarind in hot water to prepare the tamarind extract for sambar and rasam. 
• Nendran chips I had prepared the previous evening .
• Boil fresh milk for kheer /payasam
• Curd was set the previous night 

Thovve / Paruppu 

Paruppu or thovve is served soon after hot rice and ghee are served on the plate or banana leaf . People usually mix hot rice with this paruppu and start enjoying their feast . Dhall is followed by Sambar and other items which are served one by one.

Ingredients 

1 cup pressure cooked thoor dhall /thuvaram paruppu 

1 tsp cooking oil

1 tsp mustard seeds 

Few fresh curry leaves + chopped corriander 

2 tsp grated coconut

Salt as needeed

Pinch of asafoetida 

Method 

• Mash the boiled dhall with a whisk or beater till it is creamy . Add required quantity of salt.
• Heat oil in a small pan and temper with mustard seeds , curry leaves and asafoetida. 
• Pour this tempering over the dhall and lastly add the fresh coconut and corriander leaves . Mix well.
• Serve with hot rice and a dollop of ghee.

Podi Pota Sambar 

In Tamil ,podi means  masala /spice powder , pota means " put " so loosely Podi pota sambar means a Sambar prepared  with spice powder and there is no use of coconut masala paste .Just freshly ground sambar powder is used in the preparation of this sambar. Podi pota sambar tastes very delicious and is easy to prepare . A perfect accompaniment for even idlis, dosas and vadas too .

I have used beans and carrot as vegetables for this sambar,but we can use any vegetable like ashgourd, red pumpkin, lady's finger etc. 

Ingredients 

8 to 10 French beans 

1 medium carrot 

1.5 cups tamarind extract 

3 tbsp freshly ground sambar powder 

2 cups boiled and mashed thoor dhall 

1 cup water 

2 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds 

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds /methi

Salt as needed 

1 tsp jaggery powder

Fresh corriander 

Method 

• Cut the French beans into 1 inch long pieces . Peel the carrot and cut into 1 inch long pieces
• Boil the carrot and french beans in water with a little salt .
• Once the vegetables are 3/4th done add the tamarind extract , haldi and 1 tbsp sambar poeder.Boil until the raw flavor of tamarind  is lost .
• Once the raw flavor is lost , add the boiled thoor dhall, jaggery and remaining sambar powder , mix well and bring it to a rolling boil . Adjust salt if needed and also check for the consistency of sambar. If too thick, add some water and bring it to the right consistency. You can add some more sambar powder if you want it more spicy . 
• Prepare tempering of mustard seeds and methi seeds in oil and pour it over the sambar and garnish with fresh corriander .
• Add a dollop of ghee when you pour the tempering, this gives a nice flavor to the sambar.

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Other South Indian thali variants on my blog 

Thali # 1 

(Vethakuzhambu, rasam, potato stir fry,Alphonso mangoes , buttermilk)

Thali #2 

(Capsicum rice , Aviyal, Baby Potato roast, Curd rice) 

Thali #3 

Aloo Capsicum Sambar , carrot Kosambri , chou chou carrot curry , rasam, kheer , curd and papad 

South Indian Lunch - Thali #2

A few days back , I had posted a light and stomach friendly south Indian thali . Today we shall see a slightly elaborate south Indian menu which comprises of mixed rice also called as "chithranna" or "kalandha saadham" paired with  a mildly spiced gravy  and a yummy potato based curry.
This meal can  be prepared for guests or any small get together or even weekend lunch when you want a change from the usual menu .
This meal I had prepared for our Sunday Lunch as we all wanted a change from the regular menu .


Capsicum Baath  is a very famous chithranna or variety rice from Karnataka. A special spice mix is prepared to be used to mix the rice along with sauteed capsicum.

Avial belongs to Kerala which is a curd based mildly spiced gravy loaded with different vegetables like potatoes, peas, raw bananas , ash gourd, beans , carrot etc and tempered with a generous serving of coconut oil.

Thayir Saadham or Dhadiyodhanam is curd rice with tempering of mustard seeds and various other spices like green chilies,ginger ,curry leaves and fresh coriander. This curd rice is prepared in the temple style which is very famous in most temples of Tamil Nadu .

Baby potato fry needs  no special introduction.  It is an all time favorite of kids and elders. 

Recipe

300 gms baby potatoes

2 tablespoon oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp haldi /turmeric 

3/4 tsp red chilli powder

Salt as needed 

Pinch of asafoetida 

Few fresh curry leaves.

• Wash the potatoes thoroughly to remove all the mud and dirt. 
• Pressure cook with enough water for 2 whistles on medium flame .let the pressure release naturally. Donot over cook the potatoes as they will become mushy and not hold shape.
• Transfer the boiled potates to a strainer or colander and run it under cold water .
• Peel the skin and let it rest in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 mins .
• Heat oil in a wok or kadai and temper with mustard seeds , curry leaves and asafoetida. 
• Add these boiled potatoes , salt, turmeric and red chilli powder and toss it carefully such that each potato is coated with the oil and spice powder . 
• Spread 1tsp oil over the potatoes and continue roasting on medium flame with occasional tossing until they turn crisp and golden brown.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and serve it while they are still crisp and hot.

 

South Indian Lunch - Thali #1

Often there are times when we have had heavy and rich food for a few days and we crave for something light but healthy too .
When we say light food , it necessarily doesn't have to be tasteless or bland . Today ,I shall present to you a simple south Indian Saatvik Thali which is a balanced platter at the same time light on stomach and aids digestion. Incorporating this kind of meal , once a week is very beneficial for maintaining good health and remain fit.
 (Recipe links are given below )

This platter consists of

Piping hot Rice with ghee - A drop of ghee with rice is very essential as it acts as a lubricant,enabling easy digestion .Ghee is so known to clear our digestive system and prevents accumulation of gas and bloating of our body.

 Vethakuzhambu - Tamarind based gravy ; meaning reduction of tamarind extract with necessary spices .

Tomato Rasam - South Indian tomato soup with a blend of spices and tomato puree.

Mix Vegetable stir fry  - A simple stir fry curry using potatoes,carrot and peas with a seasoning of mustard seeds , salt and very little chilli powder for spice factor.

Last but not the least, fresh Alphonso Mangoes and a glass of chilled Buttermilk .

Kondakadalai Vethakuzhambu | Chickpeas in Spicy tamarind gravy-vegan Tambrahm special Detox Meal

Presenting to you ,yet another treasure from my grandmom's kitchen. I have already explained in my earlier posts as to what is Vethakuzhambu / Vethakolambu .. this is another variation to the same recipe.

This recipe makes use of boiled chick peas / kabuli channa / kondakadalai in the gravy . Days when we are out of veggies in our pantry or there is no proper vegetable to cook up a meal, these kind off recipes come really handy and useful. Vathakuzhambu is kind off detox meal and helps lighten up a heavy stomach after binge eating during vacation or marriage season.

The blog already has other variants of vethakuzhambu / Tamarind based gravies  , whose links are mentioned below.

• Appalam Vethakuzhambu  (Papads in tamarind gravy)
• Parangikkai (pumpkin) Vathakuzhambu 
• Milagu Kuzhambu (Pepper based tamarind gravy)
• Vendhiya (fenugreek) Kuzhambu 
• Verkadalai VethaKuzhambu  (Peanut based tamarind gravy)

Vathakuzhambu and paruppu thogayal (lentil based chutney) served along with roasted and fried papad is an evergreen classic combination. At home we often pair it with some cooked thoor dhall and also rasam . Chilled curd rice at the end of the meal is a complete soul satisfying lunch menu on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  A glimpse of one such lunch menu from my kitchen . The Sunday menu was a humble attempt to make a platter totally sans veggies and purely Vegan . Such a menu comes handy on days when we have exhausted vegetables in our pantry .

 

On the platter ,

Paruppu /Cooked Thoor dhall 

Kondakadalai Vethakolambu

Paruppu Thogayal / Lentil chutney 

Jeera Milagu Rasam / Cumin Pepper Rasam

Chunks of Sweet Ripe Mango

Plain steamed rice 

Fried papad 

Photos and write up updated on 18/5/2023 as a part of Redoing Old posts activity on my Facebook group . We like minded bloggers, come together every fortnight and redo one of our old posts by way of editing the text and or images . This way we give face-lift to our old posts which have been dormant for over time . 

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time : 20-25 mins
Serves : 3-4
Complexity : Medium

Ingredients

100ml thick tamarind pulp
100 ml water
2-3 tablespoons sambar powder (click here for recipe)
2 tablespoon gingelly oil / til oil / nallennai
25-50gms boiled chickpeas / kondakadalai/kabuli channa
freshly chopped corriander leaves
freshly chopped curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
1 tsp jaggery powder

Method

• Heat the oil in a kadai and splutter the mustard seeds, followed by the boiled chick peas and toss them well.
• Add the curry leaves, corriander leaves,asafoetida,haldi and sambar powder and fry them until you get a nice flavor of the spices. Do it on low flame taking care not to burn the masalas.
• Pour the tamarind pulp,water,salt and jaggery and boil the concoction until it starts to thicken and the oil starts separating. you can adjust the water content through the boiling process in case you feel it is too tangy.Likewise salt and spice can also be adjusted as per your taste requirements.
• Serve it with piping hot steamed rice with some ghee . Thogayal and any coconut based curry are an excellent accompaniment for this rice. 
• I personally like it with Inji karvepillai thuvayal and Thenga arachavitta curry. 

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